The Love of a Friend
by animeangel46
Summary: Neji and Tenten are sent on a mission that ends up being more dangerous than originally expected. When Tenten is badly hurt Neji realizes that he came close to losing the one person that truly seems to care for him. What will he do when he sees that he's
1. Training

Hi peoples! This is my first fic, and I had a great time writing it. I don't know how long or good it will be, but here goes!

(Disclaimer: I- sob- don't own Naruto!-sob- Thanks for reminding me that I'm not Masashi Kishimoto! 'Runs away crying')

The Love of a Friend 

Chapter 1

The brown haired kunoichi yawned, stretching as she walked. It wasn't yet light out, but she was used to waking up early. Ever since she was put in a cell with Rock Lee and Hyuuga Neji, she had gotten up earlier to get a head start on training. It was the worst feeling: knowing that you're the weakest one on the team. Shifting her pack on her back, Tenten realized that she'd reached the training grounds. She placed her bag in it's usual spot under a Sakura tree and began unpacking her scrolls and weapons.

"You're here early." Tenten jumped at the voice behind her. Whipping out a kunai in a split second, she flung it expertly at the source of the sound. The teen relaxed, seeing her teammate catch her kunai in the hole of another one. Tenten let out the deep breath she was holding.

"Neji! You scared me!" She scolded, placing a hand over heart. The boy in front of her just raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here so early?" She asked, sitting down beside her backpack.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." He said coolly, claiming the spot on the other side of her. Tenten bit her lip. She didn't want to tell him about her little morning routine.

"He'll laugh, and tell me it's pointless." She thought. "He'll say it's fate that I'll always be weaker than him and Lee." As if reading her mind, the boy looked at her.

"I won't laugh." He said, his expression unreadable. The girl beside him hesitated.

"You first." She smiled. Neji stared at her for a moment before answering.

"I was going to watch the sun rise, then get a head start on training." He answered, peering at the horizon. Tenten followed his lead, watching brilliant colors come into focus. "Now you." He calmly demanded. She sighed.

"I was doing the same." The sun peeked above a distant mountain, beaming new light on the hidden leaf village of Konoha.

"See? That wasn't so bad." Said the fourteen-year-old Hyuuga prodigy, referring to Tenten's reluctant answer. She turned to him and smiled, the warm sunlight illuminating her soft features.

"No, it wasn't." She replied, looking once again at the distant dawn of a new day.

"_She's pretty._" He thought, observing her bright brown eyes and petite nose. Neji never considered Tenten in this way.

"What's wrong?" Tenten inquired, snapping Neji out of his thoughts. The boy noticed he'd been staring at her, and a pink tint rose to his cheeks.

"We should probably start." He quickly covered, being the genius that he was.

"I suppose you're right." Tenten sighed, lifting herself off of the ground and offering her hand to her brilliant friend. He stared at it, never wanting to accept any help, but grabbed it and pulled himself up anyway. A small smile graced her lips as she took her starting battle stance. Neji followed suit, readying himself. As if set on a timer, the two simultaneously leapt into action. Tenten took to the trees for cover, and her teammate fell into a defensive stance, activating his Byakugan in the process.

- - - - - - - - - - - - (Time Skip)- - - - - - - - - - - -

Tenten wiped the sweat off her forehead. She looked up at the sun, noting that is was close to noon and her overly dramatic sensei and his younger counterpart hadn't arrived yet.

"Neji." She called, coming out of hiding. "Let's take a break. It's almost lunch-

"No. Go again." He ordered, cutting her off. Tenten's eyebrows furrowed. He was so determined to perfect his new move.

"Lee and Gai sensei aren't even here yet." She argued.

"Let's go." He said, ignoring her protest. With a sigh Tenten back-flipped into the trees once again, and sent another wave of assorted weapons at him. What about her? She had new moves that she wanted to practice, too. Tenten frowned at how selfish her teammate could be sometimes. She didn't mind helping him; she liked it, actually. But it hurt every time she thought about how he uses her to get stronger without a word of thanks. A sparring partner was all she was. The idea tugged at her heart, but she still helped him, knowing that she wanted him to be happy. Did he know how much she cared?

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Tenten collapsed against a tree, breathing hard. Neji took a seat next to her, also breathing heavily. The two watched the sun slowly sink behind the trees, spraying the last of its colors across the sky. Tenten bit her lip: a habit that was growing on her.

"Neji?" She asked in a small voice.

"Hm?" He looked into her eyes. Seeing that she had his attention, she decided to venture further.

"Do you think…I mean… '_Kami, why is this so hard?'_… am I your friend?" Tenten replaced her lip in its new favorite spot between her teeth. Neji blinked at the simplicity of the question, and hated the complexity of the answer. His brow furrowed in thought.

"I never really stopped to wonder if I had friends…" He stated, looking down as if he were pondering it right now. "What is a friend, exactly?" He glanced at the kunoichi next to him, wondering if she would give him an answer, or leave it to be a rhetorical question.

"A friend," Tenten began, "is someone who cares about you. Someone who is there for you no matter what. A friend would do anything for you." The boy stared at her, trying to register everything she said. "And a friend," she continued, "loves you no matter what, accepting your faults and praising your talents." She paused for a breath. "It's someone who makes you happy just by being themselves." When she finished Tenten looked at Neji and bit her lip – AGAIN. Neji decided he thought it was cut when she did that. "Do I qualify?" she asked, her eyes full of hope. Neji stared at his comrade, surprised at how much this seemed to trouble her. He smiled, and Tenten almost melted. He smirked A LOT, but rarely smiled.

"Yes," he replied, "You qualify." He almost laughed when her face brightened and she grinned at him. Both of them went back to watching the sun set in a comfortable silence. It was already dark when Neji felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked down to find that Tenten had fallen asleep.


	2. Tenten's Home

Chapter 2

He gazed at his teammate, her chest going in and out rhythmically.

"You work her too hard." Neji's head snapped up at the sound of a voice. Shikamaru stood there, smirking at the fact that he startled THE Hyuuga Neji- a rare occurrence. The longer-haired ninja just glared.

"What do you mean?" He demanded, narrowing his eyes at the lazy-nin.

"You've been training all day, haven't you?" The strategic ninja asked. Neji just nodded, not seeing where he was going with it. Shikamaru gave an exasperated sigh. "So she spends the entire day throwing pointy objects at you so that you can perfect your techniques, but did you ask if she wanted to take some time to practice her own?" Neji raised his eyebrows. He hadn't thought about that. "Did you guys even stop to eat?" At this Neji lowered his eyes guiltily. He recalled Tenten's earlier request about lunch that she didn't even get to finish saying. "Well, I know better than to get involved. I'm not going to lecture you about your relationship with your team. I just came because Tsunade-sama asked me to inform you that Lee and Gai have been sent on a mission for a week. Oh, and she wants to see you and 'sleepy' over there first thing tomorrow. She has a mission for the two of you. She wants you in her office no later than nine."

"Thanks." Neji murmured, still sore about having been proven insensitive. Shikamaru mumbled a 'troublesome' before turning around and walking off casually with his hands behind his head. Neji viewed the still-slumbering Tenten, thinking that maybe she's been more of a friend to him than he realized. He didn't want to wake her; she worked hard for his sake today. He rose, swung her pack over his shoulder, and lifted her up bridal-style. He marveled at how light she was, and found himself wondering if she ate enough. Suddenly a wave of protectiveness washed over him. The girl in his arms shifted, snuggling in closer to the warmth of his chest. He couldn't resist a chuckle. If she knew she did that she would die of embarrassment. He smiled at the thought of a flustered and blushing Tenten. Now that would be fun to see. Finally he set off in the direction of Tenten's house.

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Neji couldn't help but stare at Tenten as he walked. She looked so peaceful: lips parted slightly, breathing softly.

"It's no wonder she was at the training grounds so early," he thought sadly, "she probably does that every day so that she can get some of her own training time in before I come and take over." The teenage genius continued carrying his teammate through the barren streets. Most people were getting ready to go to sleep by now.

"Why does she help me?" He asked to no one in particular. He remembered what Shikamaru said. "If I treat her so unfairly, why does she keep coming?"

"Because she cares about you." Said a quiet voice. Neji turned and watched a boy slightly taller than himself step out of the shadows. "That's what teammates- what friends- do for each other."

"Shino." The other ninja nodded his greeting. As refined as the Aburame was, the fact that he valued loyalty and friendship was always evident. "What are you doing out so late?" Neji asked, raising an eyebrow. (He does that a lot :P)

"I was trying to catch a certain insect that only comes out at night." He supplied, patting the now occupied container that hung by his waist. "And you…" he said, "by the looks of it you and Tenten trained hard today." He looked at Neji who shook his head up and down in confirmation. "Here." He offered, stepping up. "I'll hold her while you get the key." Neji blinked, noticing that they were at Tenten's house. If Shino hadn't come along, he probably would've walked right past it in his deep state of thought. He handed the kunoichi off to Shino and began to rummage through her pack. His skin felt cold where he had once held her. He immediately wanted her back, warm and safe in **HIS **arms.

Tenten yawned and wriggled closer to Shino. Neji noticed this and felt a pang of jealousy. Discovering the key in a side pocket, he quickly opened the door and thanked the bug-wielder.

"See you around." He said, taking Tenten from him. Shino simply nodded his head and walked off into the shadows. Neji drew in a deep breath when he had his teammate safe in his arms again. Bringing Tenten into her house, he shut the door and locked it. Using his Byakugan, he found a light switch and flipped it up with his nose. (A/N: I laughed when I imagined Neji doing that. Have you ever tried? It's hard! . Okay, sorry back to the story!) He took a quick minute to admire her living room before laying her gently on the couch. He noticed a piece of paper on the coffee table and picked it up:

Tenten,

Your father and I have gone to visit your Aunt Lynn in the hidden Stone Village. We waited for you to get back, but it was getting late, and I figured you were training with Neji. I know how you like helping him, so I didn't bother you. There's leftover miso soup in the refrigerator, and don't forget to dust the front hall. I understand you want to work hard, but **please** don't overdo your training. (I don't want to come home and find you passed out in the hospital). I'll tell Kito you said 'hi'. (He likes you and you know it). We'll be gone for five days. Be good, I love you!

Mom

Neji was sure to place the note back exactly where he found it.

"Her parents aren't home… who is this 'Kito' person?" He asked himself acrimoniously. At least her parents weren't home. That was a relief. Him in the living room next to an unconscious Tenten would be a little hard to explain. He heard a groan from behind him.

"Neji?" The boy genius turned around to see Tenten rubbing her eyes. "Neji?" She questioned again, this time more awake. "Why are you in my house?"

"I brought you here. You fell asleep. I… didn't want to wake you." He told her. "Go back to sleep." He spotted a blanket on a nearby chair and draped it over the tired girl. She closed her eyes and yawned, settling back into the pillow. Neji quietly turned to leave.

"Neji?" He faced the girl again.

"…What is it, Tenten?"

"…Thanks." Neji smiled.

"It's the least I could do… for a friend." Upon hearing those words Tenten's smile seemed top make her whole face glow. She closed her eyes again, and Neji left, locking the door behind him. "I'll give her the key back when I come for her tomorrow about the mission." He decided, and started toward the Hyuuga Complex.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Tenten."

Groan.

"Tenten." Someone nudged her shoulder.

"Huh? Wha?"

"Tenten get up. Tsunade-sama wants to see us. We have a mission." Tenten's eyes widened as she noticed that it was already light outside. Because she slept on the couch she hadn't been able to set her alarm clock. The girl shot up when she realized this.

"Ahhh! I'm late for training! Neji's gonna kill me!"

"Tenten!" The girl stopped, staring at Neji who had put his finger to her lips to shut her up. "Calm down." He went on, in a softer tone. "You're not late for anything. But we will be late for our meeting with Hokage-sama if you don't get ready now." He said with a smirk.

"The Hokage?" She inquired.

"As I said before, we have a mission." He stated flatly. He watched, amused, as she tried to smooth down the hair sticking out of her buns to no avail.

"Oh, a mission…" She replied thoughtfully. "Hey! Don't laugh at me!" Neji held up his hands in defence.

"I'm not, really." He said, still smirking. "Now hurry up and get ready." Tenten narrowed her eyes at him, but then laughed.

"I guess I do look pretty funny." She agreed, getting off the couch. She headed for the stairs. "Make yourself at home. I won't be long." She jogged up the stairs, leaving Neji to his thoughts.

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	3. The Mission

Chapter 3

"Hey. Neji." Tenten shook him until he stirred. Neji opened his clear eyes to stare into Tenten's brown orbs. The girl laughed cutely. "C'mon, or else we'll be late, and it'll be **your** fault." It dawned on the Hyuuga that he had dozed off on her couch, arms folded comfortably.

"Yeah, alright." Was his groggy reply. Tenten looked fresh and ready with her buns back in their neat hold. She grabbed her bag. "Oh," Neji remembered, "Here." He pulled her house key out of his pocket and deposited it in her hand. She tossed him a confused look. "I had to get in somehow." He informed her with a shrug. She smiled.

"Right. Thanks for remembering to return it." The two of them stood there. Tenten fiddled with her key. Neji couldn't stand it anymore. He had to ask.

"Who's Kito?"

"Huh?" Neji pointed to the note on the table. Tenten picked it up and read it. "So that's where they went…" she said when she finished.

"Well?" Neji asked impatiently. She looked at him. "Who's Kito?" Tenten glanced at the note once more and began to laugh. Neji stared.

"It was just a question." He said, not seeing what was so funny.

"Gomen." Tenten stopped laughing long enough to apologize. "You must have gotten the wrong idea when you read this letter. Kito is a little boy that asks me to play ninja with him when I visit my aunt in the Hidden Stone Village. The last time I saw him he said I was pretty and asked me to marry him." She paused to laugh again. " I thought it was the cutest thing. I wonder if he's disappointed that I couldn't go." She was surprised to find Neji glaring at her.

"How could I have known?" He pouted, then looked away.

"Hyuuga Neji, I never thought I'd say this, but I do believe you're sulking!" Tenten giggled. The other teenager narrowed his eyes **again**.

"I. Don't. Sulk." He said, closing his eyes. He looked calm, but Tenten knew he was upset. It had taken some time, but as a genin, she had learned to read the "emotionless boy." Tenten sighed and sat down directly in front of him on the coffee table. He opened his eyes, but stayed silent.

"I'm sorry I laughed." She said sincerely. She put her hand on his cheek and turned his head so that he was facing her. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. We can't go on a mission angry at each other." She stuck out her other hand. "Do you forgive me?" Neji's eyes widened. He looked at the clock on the wall behind Tenten.

"The mission! We're late!" Instead of shaking Tenten's extended hand, he grabbed it and dashed to the hall. Tenten barely had enough time to sling her pack over her shoulder before being pulled out her own front door.

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"Enter." Tsunade rubbed her temples as Neji and Tenten walked through the door. She put down her pen. Sighing deeply, she said, "I am extremely busy. I don't have the time or patience for you two to be **LATE**!" A vein popped out on the angry woman's head. Tenten bowed, pulling Neji's head down with hers

"Gomen ne sai, Hokage-sama. Neji-kun and I got held up." Neji blinked. 'Neji-_kun_?' Tsunade took a deep breath and smiled. The two teens sweat-dropped at the frighteningly quick change in emotion. Then she got a mischievous look in her eye.

"You got _held up_…" She said playfully. The teens faces turned into cherries as they comprehended what she meant.

"N-no, I mean yes we did, b-but…" Tenten stuttered.

"I understand." The older woman assured, not quite convincing them. "Well, now that you're here, I'll go ahead and inform you of your mission. As you know," she continued brightly, "Lee and Gai are on a mission of their own, so it's just you two." The pair nodded, getting serious. "Recently there have been constant attacks on the Feudal Lord's son as he travels back to his village. He is protected by guards, but they are so frequently attacked by ninja that they have been held up in an old, abandoned castle, unable to leave. A messenger arrived late last night with a request for strong shinobi. The man's injuries were so intense that he died this morning. Tsunade lowered her eyes, and Neji and Tenten knew she regretted not being able to save him. She looked up with new determination written on her features. "Neji and Tenten. You're mission as ninja of Konoha Village is to escort the Feudal Lord's son back to his village so that he is safe. Shizune will give you the details. Neji, you are the leader. Do not fail."

"Hai." They replied in unison. The chosen shinobi bowed and left, closing the door silently. Shizune, the Hokage's assistant, walked up to them with the little pig, Ton-ton, trailing behind. She handed Neji a map that had the castle and the village marked in red ink.

"The Feudal Lord's son is named Haru. You will retrieve him from the abandoned castle here," she informed us, pointing, "then you will escort him to this village." Neji folded the map. "It shouldn't take you more than a few days." Shizune said. "So if you take longer than a week, a team of ANBU will be sent after you, including one medical nin. Good luck." They watched the woman walk away briskly.

"Well," began Tenten, "I'm all set." She pointed to the bag on her back.

"We'll need to stop by my place for supplies." Neji said, already leaving. Tenten ran to catch up with him.

"I've never been to your house," she reminded him, tapping her cheek in thought.

"It's not a house, really." Neji specified. "Just a room in the Hyuuga Compound's branch house.

"Still," Tenten smiled, "It'll be fun to see."

"Hn." Was the only reply she got.

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	4. Starting Out

I have to apologize. It has come to my attention that some of my readers want to see Lee and Master Gai. The problem is, I've already written the story, I just have yet to type it all. Unfortunately, our favorite, jumpsuit-wearing duo don't make an appearance in this fanfic. I'm so sorry! I love them too, but there's nothing I can do! Please don't hate me! (Cries uncontrollably).

Lee: Have no fear! I can still be here outside the story! Gai: I can as well! Lee: Gai-sensei! You're amazing! Gai: Lee, you incredible kid! (The two appear in front of a random beach backdrop crying and hugging) Me: (sweatdrop) Ok! Well, there you have it! Here goes chapter four!

Chapter 4 - Setting Out

Tenten leaned against the wall outside Neji's door where he had told her to wait. She sighed, blowing her bangs up for the tenth time in the last few minutes.

"Tenten-chan?" The kunoichi looked down the hall to see Neji's beloved cousin wave at her.

"Hinata." Tenten waved back and smiled at her friend.

"Are you here for Neji nii-kun?" The dark haired girl asked, preparing to knock on his door. The door opened before she could, revealing a surprised Neji.

"Hinata-sama." Neji bowed. Hinata smiled.

"Neji nii-kun, Tenten is here." She told him.

"Hai," he said, closing his door, " we have a mission."

"Oh, is it a long one?" His cousin asked.

"It should only be a few days." Tenten answered for him.

"Be careful." Hinata said, and hugged them both before they left.

"You're lucky." Tenten said as they exited the compound. "Hinata's so nice. You must enjoy being her cousin." Neji nodded.

"I used to think she was just a spoiled child of the main family. Then I saw caring she was. She focuses on the effect she has on others, always trying to improve herself to make the people around her happy. Hinata never gives up. Naruto is the cause of that. She worries a lot about everyone else- sometimes too much." Tenten laughed in agreement. "And," the boy continued, "I would give my life for her. Not only do I have to," he said, referring to his bird in the cage seal, "but I would." He turned around noticing that Tenten stopped walking. "What's wrong?" He asked as she stared.

"Hyuuga Neji," The girl started, smiling brightly, "That was a very sweet thing to say." The boy blushed and began walking again.

"Come on, we have to hurry. Haru and his guards are under constant attack." Tenten grinned at her friend's discomfort and fell into pace beside him.

"Oi! Tenten! Hyuuga!" Kiba ran up to the two of them. "You guys got a new mission, ne?"

"Hai," Tenten answered, "we did."

"Finally getting some time away from the spandex brothers?" He laughed. Tenten put a hand behind her head.

"Heh heh, they're not so bad." She said. "They work very hard. We have respect for Lee and Gai-sensei." Neji nodded in agreement.

"You won't have the green beast of Konoha around for once." Kiba mused. "Are you sure you can handle it?" Neji stiffened.

"Do you want me to prove it?" He threatened coldly.

"Woah, calm down! That wasn't a challenge." Kiba held up his hand.

"HEY! KIBA!" The teens squinted at the number one, hyperactive, knuckle-headed ninja down the street. "HURRY UP! I'M HUNGRY!" The blonde-haired boy called.

"Naruto and I are eating at Ichiraku's before we spar." He informed them. "I wanted a rematch of the chuunin exam prelims. He's not going to beat us with a fart this time, right Akamaru?"

"Arf!" The puppy popped his head out of Kiba's coat.

"Akamaru says good luck on your mission. See ya!" He ran in the direction of the Ichiraku ramen stand.

"Tenten."

"Hm?" She looked at her teammate.

"Let's go."

"Hai."

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Tenten wondered how far they'd gone as she jumped from branch to branch. Neither had spoken a word since they left Konoha.

"Neji?" The boy glanced at her to show he was listening. "How far do you think we've gone?" He unfolded the map.

"Actually, we should be very close. Judging by the distance from this river to Konoha and this village…" He paused to get his bearings, "We're only about a half of a mile away."

"Oh, good." Tenten breathed. She was extremely hungry, having not eaten since yesterday morning. She didn't ask to stop, not wanting to upset her teammate.

"Do you think we'll be attacked when we arrive at- _CRACK_- Ahhh!" Tenten yelled as the branch under her broke. She was falling. Fast.

"Tenten!" She heard Neji call her name. _'I can't look weak in front of him!'_ she thought anxiously. She had to be quick. Pulling a kunai from her pouch, she stabbed it hard into the bark of the tree. It held Tenten up just long enough for her to channel her chakra into her feet and stick to the trunk of the tree. (A/N: Haha, you all thought he was going to catch her, didn't you? Well, not yet. Be patient. Mwahahaha >:D ) Letting out a relieved sigh, she put her kunai knife back in the pouch at her waist.

"Are you alright?" Neji asked from a branch above her. Tenten blinked. There was something different in his voice…

'_Concern? Yes…'_ He sounded concerned. It was odd hearing her teammate sound… well… like he actually cared.

"Tenten?" Neji asked again, looking more worried. Tenten snapped out of it.

"H-hai, Neji. I'm fine. Gomen." The Hyuuga didn't look convinced, but offered his hand to her anyway. She took it gratefully and he pulled her onto the same branch.

"That was strange." Neji appeared to be deep in thought. "The branches at this level of these trees don't just break that easily." Tenten's eyebrows furrowed.

"So are you saying that someone sabotaged the tree limb?" Neji didn't respond. "But why? Who would- Neji! Look out!" Tenten leapt onto another branch, pulling the confused teen with her. The tree behind them exploded. "It was an exploding note!" She quickly informed Neji, who activated his Byakugan. His eyes went wide.

"Tenten! Go! Hurry!" Tenten sprang ahead without a second thought, the boy right behind. "It's a minefield." He explained as they moved. As if on cue, a series of explosions rang out behind them, each one closer than the last. Tree after tree, the two jumped as fast as they could until the booms stopped chasing them. "I think we found our way out." Said Neji, peering around at the forest with his kekei genkai (bloodline trait). "I don't see anymore exploding notes. Someone set one big trap for anyone coming this way."

"Ah!" Tenten cried out in pain as one last explosion went off right behind her. The force of the blast sent her flying clear off the tree branch and down towards the ground far below. Tenten couldn't stop falling. All she could think about was the awful burning sensation on her back. It was like lying on hot coals. She closed her eyes, fearing the fast-approaching earth. Just before she hit the ground she found herself cradled in a pair of strong arms. Her savior landed softly on his feet.

"Are you okay? Tenten!" The kunoichi groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Her vision cleared, and Neji's worried face came into focus.

"Ne-ji…" Tenten's voice was hoarse. She swallowed. "I'm fine. We have to get to Haru." He placed her on her feet, holding her up as she wobbled to find her balance.

"You don't look fine." He stated, eyeing her red back where a small part of her shirt had burned off.

"I'm okay, really." She assured him with a noticeably fake smile. "Heh, you saved me." She punched his arm playfully. He gently touched her back, and she drew in a sharp breath at the pain. The other teenager raised an eyebrow at her. He wasn't convinced. Tenten's forehead creased. "We have to hurry, the Feudal Lord's son needs us! We can't stop! I'm fine!" Neji sighed.

"At least let me bandage you up first." The girl looked down in thought.

"Alright." Was her hesitant reply. Neji smiled.

"Good."

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Tenten gasped at the stinging on her back. Neji pressed a cloth soaked in cold water on the wound. He brought the bandages out from his own bag. His cheeks were tinted pink. He asked Tenten to lift up her shirt just an inch or two so he could wrap the white material around her waist. The girl blushed profusely every time he got close, practically hugging her. Neji found this adorable.

'_His hands are strong, but I didn't expect them to be so gentle.'_ Tenten thought. _'He is a master of the gentle fist style, after all.'_ Neji brought his bandaged hand to her cheek. With his thumb he wiped away blood that dribbled from her lip. Tenten felt her face get hot. Neji brushed her bangs out of her eyes. With all the heat rising to her cheeks, Tenten began to believe it was her face that had been burned instead of her back. As if realizing what he was doing, Neji pulled away suddenly.

"The ninja who are after Haru must have set that trap." He stated, returning to tying her bandages. " There are bound to be more. We'll have to be careful." Tenten squeaked when Neji picked her up.

"Neji, I can walk, really!" She exclaimed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure!" The girl kicked her legs a few times to prove her point. He set her on her feet carefully, then continued on with his situation analysis.

"I'm beginning to think they aren't just common thieves after money." His teammate looked confused. She put her hand behind her head.

"Could you elaborate, Einstein?"

"These ninja are harassing the Feudal Lord's son…" He confirmed, stroking his chin. "It can only be assumed that they want to kidnap the boy, then collect a ransom from his rich father." Tenten nodded to show that she understood. Neji went on. "But it doesn't make sense. They haven't made any attempts to capture Haru. Furthermore, what reason did they have for setting such an elaborate trap? It would be pointless- _unless_ whatever they're after is of value to someone besides them." Tenten gasped.

"You mean that there's the distinct possibility of a third party? Someone we didn't know about?"

"Exactly."

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Me:Oooooooooh, go Neji! Puttin' the moves on Tenten! Lee: Oh no! What will become of my poor teammates? Gai: You'll have to find out in the next chapter! (Flashes a smile that pings) Me: And a big thank you to all my reviewers. Constructive critizism is always welcome!


	5. Dangerous Encounter

I've got only one or two more chapters to type before this fic is complete! Can I get a 'Hoorah' from the cheering section? Lee and Gai: Hoorah! Me:…Ahem…Sorry. I got excited. I'm very happy with my reviews, and I'll try to update as soon as possible. The reason I updated the last few chapters so fast was because I already had them typed. And to **Kratos Wilder**, you said you like that there isn't too much fluff. I just wanted to tell you that it does get a little mushy at the end, but it's not too bad. This is a romance fanfic, after all! There is a fight scene coming up, so maybe you'll like that- I HOPE! Thanks everyone for your support! Now I'd like to introduce you all to chapter 5! YOSH!

Chapter 5 – Dangerous Encounter

"That's the place." Neji whispered from his perch among the leaves.

"I don't sense anyone." Said Tenten. "What do you see?" Neji activated his Byakugan and looked back and forth.

"There isn't a single person around the outside of the castle." He adapted more of his chakra to view inside the castle walls. " I see some people in the upper rooms."

"How many?" The brown-haired kunoichi asked.

"Two…no…three standing by the door, and five sitting at a table. That must be Haru and his guards." He deactivated the Byakugan, the veins around his eyes vanishing. "Our best bet would be to enter through the window to avoid traps. Follow close behind me." The two nodded to each other and sprang into the open.

Upon reaching the castle, Neji channeled his chakra into his feet. He ran up the wall, his low ponytail whipping behind him. Tenten did as she was told and mimicked his movements perfectly. When Neji reached the top, he grabbed the edge of the roof and swung to kick the window open with both feet. (A/N: I can see it in my head, but it's hard to explain! O.o ) He landed inside with Tenten following. They were immediately bombarded with shuriken. Tenten deflected them all with a kunai so that Neji didn't have to use up his chakra. "Hold your weapons. We're shinobi from Konoha village- sent to help." Neji told them. The rain of shuriken stopped, allowing them to see seven men standing around a boy about their age.

"Finally," one of them said, "some help has arrived."

"It's awful! We've been trapped in this old castle for days!" Another man cried. A man on the side stepped forward.

"How can we be sure you are who you say you are?" He asked, holding three senbon between his fingers. Neji pointed bluntly to his forehead protector.

"The Hidden Leaf Village symbol." He supplied. " A true ninja doesn't lie about his loyalty to his village."

"A likely story." The boy in the middle finally spoke up. "You would say that," he stepped out of the protective ring of guards and up to Neji, "if you were trying to trick us…well hello! Who do we have here?" He asked, discovering Tenten behind Neji. He took her hand and kissed it. Neji almost gagged.

"Uh…heh…well…" Tenten didn't know how to act. Boys were only interested in girls like Ino and Sakura. Never tomboys like her. She didn't have to worry. Neji had already stepped in front of her. Breaking the two apart.

"I am Neji, and this is my **partner** Tenten." He informed with a glare that could kill.

"My name is Kyoushi Haru." The boy said with an extravagant bow. Neji rolled his eyes. "And I believe you are who you say you are." He finished. Neji growled, but it went unnoticed.

'Now you believe me? Or is it that you WANT to believe me because you saw Tenten?' He thought incredulously. "Let's head out." Suggested Neji calmly. "The sooner we get there the better." 

"I agree!" Haru proclaimed annoyingly. He gathered his things. "We've been in this dark, empty castle for far too long!"

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Neji and Tenten stood in a road littered with bodies. Upon leaving the castle, the same group of ninja that had been bothering Haru had attacked them. The now-dead shinobi had all seemed to be pushovers. The duo defeated them all with little degree of difficulty. Haru ran up to them.

"That was quite amazing!" He proclaimed. "You are so strong, me dear Tenten!" The girl blushed and thanked him. Neji had to restrain himself from killing the dramatic boy. "It's so wonderful to be outside again!" He went on, spinning around in the sunlight. Neji's lip twitched when Haru pulled Tenten with him.

"Are we ready to go?" He asked, arms crossed. Finally, Haru got dizzy and stopped spinning like an idiot.

"Actually, can we eat first?" He patted his stomach. I'm starved!"

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Neji messaged his temples, trying to soothe his pounding headache. Haru could be heard ahead of the group, talking to Tenten. That boy was WAY too happy. He supplied most of the conversation. Tenten would give an occasional 'mhm' or 'hai' to prove she was paying attention. Neji wondered how she could stand it.

They had been traveling for two days, taking frequent breaks due to Haru's whining.

"At this rate," Neji thought, "They'll end up sending the ANBU team after us." He heard Haru give a shout from up ahead.

"I know that waterfall! We're almost there!" Neji smirked inwardly. _'Thank God…'_

"I can't wait to introduce you to Papa!" Haru winked at Tenten who blushed. That was the last straw. Neji grabbed the boy's shirt and prepared to punch his lights out, but stopped.

"Tenten, do you sense that?" He asked, setting a shocked Haru down on his feet.

"Huh?" After a moment it clicked. "Yes, I can sense something, but I'm not sure what…"

"I noticed it a little while ago, but it went away." Neji explained. "But now it's back, and has the intent to kill." Suddenly, kunai were showering down on them from all directions. Neji used his kaiten, spinning around and deflecting the weapons. Tenten pulled out her scrolls and pushed Haru between her and Neji to keep him safe. In an instant Haru's guards were all dead, and the three teens were surrounded by ninja. Tenten and Neji got ready for a long fight. The battle began.

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"They keep coming!" Tenten yelled, killing two more enemies. Neji blocked a shuriken that was headed for Haru.

"I know." He replied. "I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this up." Neji found he didn't have to worry long, because the ninja fell back.

"Why are they retreating?" Tenten asked, confused. They heard a deep laugh from above them. The three teens looked up in the trees to see a man.

"Because I told them to." He said simply. The man hopped down and landed a few yards away from the group. Neji and Tenten stepped in front of Haru. "I've been watching you." He told them. "Very impressive." Tenten got the feeling that he was referring mostly to Neji. "As a reward for being able to hold your ground against my men, I will allow you to fight me." The man removed his long coat and took an offensive stance. Neji moved in front of Tenten.

"What is it that you want?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "It seems that you are not after money." The man laughed his chilling laugh again.

"You're a smart boy." He smirked. "My name is Atsuuka, and you're right. It isn't money that I seek."

"Are you the leader of the group that attacked us earlier?" Neji demanded to know. A dangerous look crossed the man's face.

"You should know better than to compare us to those weaklings." He sneered angrily.

"It's just as you thought, Neji!" Tenten said. "There's a third party! Haru makes one, those other ninja we killed at the castle made two, and this guy's group must be the third."

"So you killed off all of the Chishiki members?" Atsuuka scoffed. "It figures. They were weak: always relying on brains rather than brawn. I am the leader of the Tsuyosa tribe. And you," He said, glaring at Haru, "are from the Kanjo tribe, ne?" The boy gulped and nodded. (A/N: Chishiki means intelligence, Tsuyosa means strength, and Kanjo means emotion. )

"No one c-calls my village Kanjo anymore, though." He said, shaking. The man in front of them had an expression that could kill.

"What I desire," he took a step forward, "is that ring." Neji and Tenten took note of a golden ring with a smooth, blue stone on Haru's finger.

"My ring?" Haru clutched his hand to his chest. "But Papa gave me this! He said never to give it to anybody!"

"Clearly you don't know the value of that trinket." Atsuuka began. "It's got nothing to do with money. Long ago a Feudal Lord had three sons: twins, and a younger boy. The brothers all fell in love with the same girl, and they always fought over who should marry her. One day she grew tired of their bickering. She said she would give her most prized possession- a ring- to the one of them that she loved the most. The twins did everything they could to prove themselves worthy of her love, but that night she ran away with the youngest brother. The couple started their own life, and eventually ruled their own village- The Kanjo Village. Soon after, though, the wife died giving birth to her first child. Her husband, however, still had the proof of her undying love for him: the ring. The twins, still obsessed with gaining her love, stole the ring from their brother. Eventually they turned on each other. Each of the boys gathered followers and became leaders of their own groups. The youngest son still called his 'Kanjo', the younger twin called his 'Chishiki', and the older twin called his 'Tsuyosa.' For years the ring traveled among the three tribes, getting stolen time and again. Soon it became that whichever tribe had the ring at the time was considered the most powerful. As the ancestors of the brothers, we want that ring to prove our power above the other two tribes. It's currently in the possession of the Kanjo tribe, and has been for some time." He smirked. "But that's about to change."

With a yell he charged. He extended his arms, and a couple of blasts shot out of his fingers. Neji realized they were impossible to block, and it was too late to dodge. The blasts hit his chest, and Neji found himself unable to breathe for a moment.

"That is a sort of paralysis technique. It stuns your chakra momentarily. Although the effects don't last very long, it gives me all the time I need to finish you off with one fatal blow. Neji saw that he was telling the truth. His Byakugan told him that his chakra froze in its canals.

'_It's like a temporary jyuuken.'_ He thought. Neji couldn't manipulate his chakra at all. The boy was relieved when he felt himself gaining control of his chakra again.

"I could have killed you right there." Said Atsuuka. "But I want to see what you are capable of." He attacked again. Tenten dragged Haru to a safer spot, and Neji blocked his opponent's punches and kicks. Atsuuka jumped back. "You're pretty good, kid. No doubt from the Hyuuga clan."

"How do you know of my heritage?" Neji asked, not letting down his guard. The man smirked.

"You'd be surprised at how much I know. Your eyes and fighting stance gave it away. For instance, that move you used earlier was the Hakkeshou Kaiten, correct?" Neji didn't answer. Atsuuka kept talking anyway. "It's a perfect defence- that is…if you're only protecting yourself. But what do you do," He looked at Tenten who was pushing Haru behind some trees for cover, "if there's someone else on the line?" Neji's eyes widened. Atsuuka pulled out a kunai and cut a string that ran from the ground to the treetops. Another bombardment of weapons was released.

"Tenten! Look out!" The girl looked at Neji as he tackled her to the ground. Most of the weapons missed, except for a few shuriken that embedded themselves into Neji's back. "Ack!" He coughed up blood.

"Neji! Are you okay?" Tenten helped her teammate up. "You didn't have to do that!" The boy just turned to Atsuuka again.

"How do you know of my weaknesses?" He demanded. The man laughed. He pulled a katana out of its sheath and appeared behind them in a puff of smoke.

"I told you: you'd be surprised at how much I know!" He yelled. Tenten gasped.

'_He knows about the Byakugan's blind spot!'_ She barely had enough time to step in front of Neji as Atsuuka thrust the sword at his back. Neji watched, dumbfounded, as crimson blood spilled out of Tenten's abdomen. Atsuuka growled and pulled his katana back.

"**NO**!" Neji caught Tenten when she collapsed. "Dammit, Tenten! Why did you-

"**You little brat**!" Atsuuka sneered before the boy could finish. "How dare you get in the way of my attack! I'll kill you both!" He sent out more chakra blasts that stunned Neji's chakra. "**Now DIE! The finishing move: Exploding Chakra Technique**!" He put out his hands. A wave of chakra erupted from his palms and headed straight for the two teenage shinobi. Neji used his body to shield Tenten.

'_No! He'll…get…hurt…'_ She used the last of her strength to push Neji away. The blast hit Tenten, exploding on contact. All she knew was searing pain before everything went black.

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**I'M SO SORRY! IT WAS SOOOO CRUEL OF ME TO STOP THERE! **I know what I'm talking about when I say CLIFFHANGERS ARE EVIL! I can't stand them, but I just wrote one! AHHHHHHHH! (Cries) I'm a hypocrite! NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Lee: Will she be okay? Gai: She'll be fine. She just needs to settle down. Me: (Runs around screaming in the background). I'LL UPDATE AS SOON AS I CAAAAN!


	6. Going Home

Hello all! I'm expecting this to be the last chapter, but I've got another story idea in mind, so keep your eyes open. (To **aubrey-coffin**, don't worry. I didn't kill anyone off…well…except the bad guys. I hate character deaths! They're so sad! T.T) I'm glad you all like the story, and my apologies, I made a mistake. It wasn't **Kratos Wilder** who didn't like too much fluff, it was **Silent Alchemist**. Sorry for the mix-up! ; Lee: **animeangel46** begs your forgiveness! As a peace offering I will perform the dance of the pleading green beast! (Starts twirling to random classical music) Gai: Lee! You're so noble! I will join you! (Begins twirling with Lee) Me: …I'm not sure what to say about that one…oh well! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! (Dances with Lee and Gai) I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Whoa. Gai just did a curtsy. I am now scarred for life…

Chapter 6 – Going Home

Tenten groaned. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around an unfamiliar room. She was on the floor in her sleeping bag. There was a blanket next to her makeshift bed. Then the girl noticed she was covered in bandages. She sat up, ignoring the pain in her mid-section. Tenten recalled the fight and being stabbed. She winced, remembering the chakra explosion.

"Where am I?" She wondered out loud. "And where are Neji and Haru? Is Neji okay?" The kunoichi felt sick with worry. The door opened, revealing the subject of her thoughts. Upon seeing Tenten awake, Neji dropped the canteen he was holding. He fell to his knees beside his friend and hugged her.

"You're awake! Kami, I thought you'd never wake up! He tightened his grip around her. Tenten put her arms around his neck and returned the embrace.

"What about you?" She asked. "Are you okay?" He pulled away to look into her brown eyes.

"Thanks to you, I'm fine." He said. "Why did you do that for me?" She looked down.

"I…I don't know. I saw that you were about to get hurt, and I just reacted. I didn't even think about it. I guess I did it for the same reason you protected me." He held her in his arms again.

"Kami, Tenten, you have no idea how scared I was." He felt the girl shaking in his arms and looked at her. "What's wrong?" He asked as tears spilled down her cheeks. She shook her head.

"Since the day we met, I wasn't sure if you cared about me at all." Se said between sobs. He tilted her chin up and pressed his lips to hers. Tenten was shocked, to say the least. She closed her eyes and hugged his neck. Neji snaked his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss. He broke away and looked directly into her brown orbs.

"Don't ever think I don't care about you." He brushed a tear from her face. "You're the most wonderful person I know, and the best friend anyone could ask for." He touched his nose to hers. His breath tickled Tenten's lips, and she shuddered. "And I'm in love with you." He claimed her lips again. Tenten played with his silky hair. They pulled apart. (A/N: As much as it sucks, humans need to breathe).

"Thank you," Neji said. "for always being there for me. I'm so sorry I didn't realize it sooner."

"I was there for you," Tenten smiled, "because I love you, too."

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"I'm glad to see you're feeling better." Haru said to Tenten. She had been healing in his village. Upon Tenten's request, Neji had explained what happened to Atsuuka.

"_When he hurt you," He had told her, "I thought you were dead. I got so…so mad. I freaked out, thinking I'd lost you. I killed him right away with the technique you've been helping me with."_

"_But that's a defensive technique!" She had argued._

"_Not anymore." He'd replied, smirking handsomely. _

Neji appeared out of the one-room house he'd been sharing with Tenten. "Are we ready to go?" He asked, shifting his freshly stocked pack on his shoulders. Haru's father walked up to them.

"As the Feudal Lord of this village, I'd like to thank you for protecting Haru, and for bringing peace to the Kanjo Tribe." He smiled and shook Neji and Tenten's hands.

"Before you go," Haru stepped up to Tenten, "Please consider staying with me. I could make you very happy here." Tenten smiled sweetly.

"I appreciate the offer, I truly do." She said. She took Neji's hand and he intertwined his fingers with hers. "But I've already found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with." Neji gave her hand a squeeze. Haru sighed, but smiled.

"I understand." He assured them. "I should have guessed as much when he got all teary-eyed after you got hurt." He smirked and thrust his thumb at Neji. Tenten turned to him, surprised. He was blushing.

"THE Hyuuga Neji getting teary-eyed over me?" She laughed. "I'm flattered." Neji crossed his arms.

"I thought the one person who loved me was dead. What did you expect me to do?" He asked, looking away. Tenten turned his face to her and gave him a peck on the mouth.

"You're cute when you blush." This only caused him to blush more. Tenten took his hand again, laughing. Haru waved goodbye, and the two set off down the road.

"It's been five days." Neji said, rubbing Tenten's hand with his thumb. "It took us one day to reach the castle, two days to get to the village, and two days for you to heal. If we hurry, we should be home in just enough time to stop them from sending the ANBU after us." With a nod to each other, the couple leapt into the trees.

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Tenten hopped down to the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village followed by Neji.

"You know, you were wrong." She said. Neji looked at her questioningly. "You said I was the only person who loves you." Neji raised an eyebrow. (A/N: He's sexy when he does that! Giggles girlishly Okay, sorry. --; ) "Hinata cares about you, too." The boy smirked and wrapped his arms around her.

"No fair." He nuzzled her nose. "Hinata cares about everyone." Their lips locked. "You know, we're being watched." He murmured into her soft lips.

"I know." Tenten smiled and kissed him harder, ignoring the whistles and cat-calls of the rest of the rookie nine that had come to greet them. Tenten and Neji knew they could only be happy as long as they had each other. After all, the perfect kind of love is the love of a friend.

**Owari**

Woohooooooo! I'm done! Still, it's sad to stop writing this fic. It's kind of like…watching your first child grow up or something. Lee: (Cries) That was so beautiful! Gai: The flower of our team has finally blossomed! Lee: The youthful springtime of love has brought our Neji and Tenten together! Gai: Yes! YOUTHFULLNESS! (Strikes nice-guy pose number twenty-four) IT'S THE POWER OF YOUTH! Lee: Gai-sensei! Gai: Lee! Me: sigh Sure. Youth. Whatever you say. Well, everyone, tell me what you think! Thank you so much for reading, and look out for any other fics I may write in the future. C-YA!


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